Auntie Anne's Pretzels

This week my sister and niece came over to make homemade pretzels. One tip is to make them thinner than you think. We made salt ones and cinnamon ones. The recipe came from Insider's Recipes Master Edition book. This cookbook is pretty cool it is full of restaurant recipes.

1 1/2 cup warm water
1 1/8 tsp. active yeast (1 1/2 pkg)
2 Tbs. brown sugar
1 1/8 tsp. salt
1 cup bread flour
3 cups regular flour
2 cups warm water
2 Tbs. baking soda
To taste coarse salt
2−4 Tbs. butter (melted)

Sprinkle yeast on lukewarm water in mixing bowl; stir to dissolve. Add
sugar, salt, and stir to dissolve; add flour and knead dough until smooth
and elastic. Let rise at least 1/2 hour.

While dough is rising, prepare a baking soda water bath with 2 cups warm
water and 2 Tbs. baking soda. Be certain to stir often.

After dough has risen, pinch off bits of dough and roll into a long rope
(about 1/2 inch or less thick) and shape. Dip pretzel into soda solution
and place on greased baking sheet. Allow pretzel to rise again. Bake in a
450 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until golden. Brush with melted
butter and enjoy!

Toppings:
After you brush with butter try sprinkling with coarse salt.
Or for Auntie Anne's famous cinnamon sugar, try melting a stick of butter
in a shallow bowl( big enough to fit the entire pretzel) and in another
bowl, make a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. dip the pretzel into the
butter, coating both sides generously. then dip again into the cinnamon
mixture.

Chili's Chicken Ranch Sandwich

My all time favorite restaurant is Chili's. I have come to depend on their amazing queso. While I usually get the nachos there b/c they are covered in queso I sometimes get their Chicken Ranch Sandwich.

What you need
oil for deep frying
½ C flour
½ tsp salt
½ C whole milk
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 hamburger bun
1 leaf green leaf lettuce
2/3 C franks redhot sauce
1/4 C butter, melted
Side of Ranch

How to do it
1. Preheat oil to 350 in a deep fryer or large frying pan over medium heat. Use just enough oil to cover the chicken breast.
2. Stir together the flour and salt in a medium bowl. Pour the milk into another medium bowl
3. Trim the chicken of any fat. Pound on the chick with a meat tenderizing mallet to flatten the breast.
4. Dip the chick in milk, then in flour, being sure to coat the entire surface of the chicken. Take the coated chicken breast and repeat the process. Then deep fry the chicken.
5. As the chicken is frying toast the hamburger buns.
6. When the chicken breast has cooked and drained, place it on a bun. Combine the butter and franks. Pour the hot sauce on the chicken. Then poor ranch on top the hot sauce and then the lettuce and top bun.

*I skip the tomato and add an extra side of ranch.

Wendys Chili

Who doesn't like a good bowl of chili on a cold day. Wendy's makes a mean bowl. Top Secret Recipes has done it again and recreated a classic restaurant favorite. Here is my rendition:

Ingredients
1 lbs ground beef
1 (14 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (14 ounce) can kidney beans (with liquid)
1 (14 ounce) can pinto beans (with liquid)
1/2 cup diced onion (1/2 medium onion)
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chili pepper
1/4 cup diced celery (1 stalk)
1 medium tomatoes, chopped well
1-2 teaspoons cumin powder
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup beer

Directions
1. Brown the ground beef in a dutch oven over medium heat.
2. Place ground beef on a plate with a paper towel.
3. In a same dutch oven brown the onions in beef grease. Then combine all the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer over low heat.
4. Cook, stirring every 15 minutes, for 2 to 3 hours

Double Dave's Pizza Rolls

I have recently had the chance to try a couple different recipes with the Pillsbury refrigerated pizza crust. This recipe was by far my favorite. Going to school at Texas Tech I came to love Double Dave's pizza rolls. They were soo good. Luckily we have one close to our house now, but they are fun to make at home too. The technique for this one is to roll from the middle of the pizza (the small end). Also, the more pepperonis the better :) Serve with marinara sauce.

What you need
Pillsbury refrigerated pizza crust
Pepperonis
Provolone cheese, sliced


How to do it
1. Preheat over 400 degrees

2. Roll out the dough on a cutting board

3. Place a circle of pepperonis around the edge layering twice

4. On top of the pepperonis place the cheese

5. Cut the pizza in slices

6. Roll each piece starting in the middle where the slice is smallest

7. Bake for 16 minutes

**New Note: I like to use grated mozzarella instead of the provolone.

Babe's Chicken

The best fried chicken in Dallas is at Babe's Chicken. Growing up they only had one location in a little town called Roanoke. I remember driving out there being so excited. We would take car loads of people. It was so much fun. A little shop next door serves the original Dr. Pepper that you have to try. A few months ago one opened up in Frisco right down the street from us. So, I'm excited. Anyways the original restaurant just serves fried chicken and chicken fried steak with all you can eat mashed potatoes, corn, rolls and salad. The new locations serve more dishes like roast beef and catfish. Plus they have added green beans with the sides. The salad there is to die for. They serve it with a sweet dressing that is amazing. One year we went there for my birthday and they made me wear a chicken hat. So, if you are ever in the Dallas area tried the Fried Chicken there.

Prince Bistro

A brand new concept restaurant opened in my neighborhood called Prince Bistro. It is an interesting idea where they combine cheap food, live music, and beer. While it isn't the worlds best it will satisfy your snack attack. The pizza was covered in toppings with a rather nice crust. Not as amazing as Fireside Pies, but it works. Their chips were my favorite. If salads are more your thing then you might like theirs. Next time I'm going to try the chefs salad. Prince Bistro is going for a cool hip atmosphere. It is more of a chain feel than hot trendy. Big screen tvs are everywhere plus there is outdoor dinning which I love for people watching. I give it a 3 out of 4. While they have room to improve I think givin the right ideas they could expand nation wide. http://www.princebistro.com/

Mongolian Chicken

We have an Asian dinner here called Pei Wei. It is spreading fast across the states. I'm sure you have heard of their parent company P.F. Chang's. Well they make an amazing Mongolian Chicken. It is a little more complex but extremely fast to cook.

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon ginger, minced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 lb chicken breast, bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 large green onions
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

Directions:
1. Heat 2 tsp of vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over med/low heat. Be careful not to get the oil too hot.
2. Add ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and water to the pan.
3. Dissolve the brown sugar in the sauce, raise the heat to medium and boil the sauce for 2-3 minutes or until thickens.
4. Remove sauce from the heat.
5. Put the corn starch and chicken in a ziplock bag and shake.
6. Let the chicken sit for about 10 minutes.
7. Heat up one cup of oil in a wok or skillet over medium heat until it's nice and hot, but not smoking.
8. Add the chicken to the oil and sauté for a few minutes, or until the chicken just begins to darken on the edges. Stir the meat around a little so that it cooks evenly.
9. After a couple minutes, use a large slotted spoon to take the meat out and onto paper towels, then pour the oil out of the wok or skillet.
10. Put the pan back over the heat, dump the meat back into it and simmer for one minute.
11. Add the sauce, cook for one minute while stirring, then add all the green onions and mushrooms.
12. Cook for one more minute, then remove the chicken, onions, and mushrooms with tongs or a slotted spoon to a serving plate.
13. Leave the excess sauce behind in the pan.